Automobile stabilizer



Dec. 6, 1949 J. K. TANK AUTOMOBILE STABILIZER 5 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed May 3, 1948 m A] qmd v Dec. 6, 1949' J. k. TANK 2,490,719,

AUTOMOBILE STAB ILIZER Filed May 3, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITE o STATES-j PATENT orF-isc E,

AUTOMOBIEE STABILIZERK John K. Tank, Eureka, Galif: pp fl ml M y 3,1948, Serial'N'o. 24;!)02" 2--Glaims.

to:-.eliminate the Side sway. of a car when making.

aiturnlathigh speedand. especially on unbanked curves or turns in highways.

An-object of. the invention is to. provide means directly between the axles or springs adjacent the axles. andthechassis. orframe of the car to resistside sway. orstilting ofthebodyof thecar in a direction opposite to the: direction of turn which tendsto raise the. body'at the inner. side of the curve" and throw: the :weight. of the car and body toward the outside of .the curve-causing side sway.

Anotherobject istoprovide a stabilizer which is automatically rendered operative upon the act of" turning the steering 'wheel'and gear to make a turn and in proportion'tothe angle or degree of the arc: of the turn of the car. upon a roadway.

A-further object is to-provide expansion stabilizing cylinders connected between the frame or: chassis-of an automobile andthe axles thereof or" springs I adjacent thereto whereby fluid pressure is admitted toethe-cylinders at the outside of the.

tumor arc of the=curve and discharged from thecylinders atthe-inside of the turn ofthe vehicle,.

the. control-of the flow of the fluid under pressure being. effected by aselector valve operated from. the steering gear dependingupon the directionofsturning the steering-wheel and direction of turn of the carso that the fluid pressure and-resistance to sway of the car body-will vbe-automatically effective at the .proper'side-ofthe car, while means in the form ofa pressure regulator operated'at the dash or instrument panel through which the" fiuid'passes'is provided to control the pressure to the. stabilizer or lifting members at the proper side of thecar. depending-upon the directionof turnand load to eliminate swap or tiltingan'd possibility of the car. turning over or turtle.

To the foregoing objects; and others which may.

hereinafter more fullyappear, the invention con-' sistsof the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,- but it is to be understood that changes;

variations, and modifications may be resorted to Whichfall within. thescopeof-theeinvention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure. 1 is a diagrammatic View showing the pressure fluid to opposite sides of a car.

Figure fi is a'sectional elevation of a stabilizers or lifting member between the axles and frame of I the car.

Figure 6 is a face-view-"ofthe'dial of the pressure regulator applied to the dash of a car.

Figure 7 "is a section of the pressure regulator taken on the-linel -1 of' Fi'gure 6.-

Fi'g-ure' 8 is-a horizontal section takenon theline-8 -8 of Figure 4."

Figure=9 is a-sectionalelevationtaken on the line 9-9"of Figure-4.'-

Referring to thedrawings; the application-f the stabilizer or swayeliminator to an automobile is'shown in 'Figii-re'l, in which 1 0- is the front axle and II the rear axle 'hOusing and l 2'the motor fromwhich, such'asthe fan shaft 13, a -fiuid compressor-orpump' I 4 1s driven, the fluid medium be ingairor'oi-l. Pump M is-connected bya pipe' l5 t'o a reservoir- |6 both' suitably supported on" the automobileframepr chassis; said reservoir having=a filling opening and-plug I1. A pipe IB- extends from the out1et of the pump to a pressure reg-ulator [Bi-Fat the front intake or inlet end thereof-and'appipe '20 leads" from the outlet 2 I at thebottom and between the ends of the regulator I 9::back1tothereservoir 'l 6.

A pipe 22 connects the reservoir |6"throughbranchesn23ito the-:outlet'ends' 24 01 a selector valve: 25." positioned and supported as I bybolts: through. aperturedirlugsri li onthe car frame or chassis: our. one side: rail thereof adjacent the steering 'gear: 211: of. the automobile operable by thezsteering wheelionzth'e steeringipost 28. Thesteeringzgearl'or.WOrmZ'driVeZThas the usual out standingrhorizontal 'or cross: shaft 29 to-which the: usual i pitinan arm- 30' is:- connected and retained;:thereon.as by a1nut 3lto connectat 32 to:-and' operate aisteerin'g rod 33 connected to the usual linkfand arms 3'4 at th'e steering knuckles 35of the'front steeringspindles36 and wheels 3T as seenr-iniFiguresi'l andi2.ii A5pipe"38"leads from" th-etpumpv l leatzpiperilfl 'through branches 39 to inlets 40 of selectorivalve25l:

Selector-- valve: 25 comprises. spacedi axially aligned horizontalicasings orrcylinders- 4| connected. as .:by; as: bracket plate L 42" on' which lugs 2612MB :formed "to. supportithe'valven Casings M application of the stabilizer or sway eliminator 5 ylarerof-like construction and branches-23 at outapplied toa car.

Figures 2 .and 3. arelfragmentarytransverse elevations. showing a. stabilizer cylinder applied on the front and rearaxles of acar.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectionalelevationof a e as-atM:

A common valve plunger 45 having cylindrical I valve pistons 46 at its ends to reciprocate in casings 4| is provided intermediately with a vertical slot 41 enlarged or flared at the bottom, and an arm 48 is loose on and extends upwardly from shaft 29 of the steering gear 21 and journals a roller 49 in its upper end to operate and roll in slot 41 and constituting a shiftable operative connection between the shaft 29 and arm 48 with the plunger 45 for reciprocating the latter and its pistons 46 in the casings r cylinders 4|. Lugs 50 fixed in spaced relation on the upper rounded end of pitman arm 30 have threaded apertures in which screws are adjustable with springs 52 between the opposed inner ends thereof and a lug 53 projecting from arm 4a to regulate the tension of the springs and balance thereof as well as the movement and action of arm 48 and plunger 45 and its pistons.

Pistons 46 formed in the ends of the plunger 45 are cylindrical to operate in the cylindrical bores of the casings or cylinders 4i and packing nuts or glands 54 are provided around the plunger 45 at the inner ends of the casings 4|, being shown as rings mounted on reduced threaded portions 55 of the casings to prevent leakage of the fluid at such points. Each piston is also provided with an annular groove 58 around its periphery toward its inner end, from which extends a communicating longitudinal groove 51 for drainage through discharge outlets 44. Outlets 58 are located intermediate the ends of the casings and each having a Y-fitting 59 connected thereto with couplings or nipples 69 for discharge pipes 6| which lead to expansible stabilizing members or cylinders 62 at the right and left hand sides of the automobile. Pistcns 46 are further provided with diametrical passages 63 spaced from the grooves 56 outwardly of the pistons 46 through which the flow of the fluid under pressure is effected from the ports at the inlet passages 44 to the outlet passages 58 when the passages 63 align therewith at diametrically opposite sides of the cylinders.

A longitudinal slot 64 is also cut in each piston radially from its periphery through the outer end thereof as seen in Figure 4, to receive a key 65 secured as by a screw 66 to the interior of the casing 4| to prevent the pistons from turning or rolling out of line.

The expansion stabilizing members or cylinders I52 are of like construction and at the front are mounted between the ends 61 of the front axle Ii! or frame of the car and the knee action bar 68 cushioned therewith in connection with the springs 69 and links and II or other suitable construction provided for this purpose, the spindles 38 being shown pivoted to the links 10 at as heretofore described. At the rear end, the cylinder is shown interposed between the rear ends of the frame 12 and the springs 13 hearing the ends 14 of rear axle II in its housing I5 and in which shock absorbers or snubbers Ill are also mounted between the rear axle or springs and frame 12 with suitable cushion bumpers 'l! at the front and I8 at the rear, if desired.

Cylinders 62 are provided with grommets or eyes I9 at the bottom, the casting at the lower end of the cylinder being formed with an angular passage 88 for connection to the pipes 9| as by a nipple or coupling 8|. A rubber or other cushion bumper block 82 is seated in a recess 83 in the lower end of the cylinder and bears a flanged steel cap 84 around which a light coil spring 85 is mounted to exert upward pressure against a rubber cup 86 positioned or secured against the bottom of a primary piston 81 which reciprocates in the cylinder. A spring 88 is seated in the recess of the flanged piston 81 and its upper end is likewise seated in a recess in the bottom of a secondary piston 89 which operates in the cylinder 52.

Piston 89 has a breather hole 9!! equivalent to a bleeder duct to prevent the formation of a dash pot in the reciprocation of the piston and the piston rod 9| thereof extends upwardly through and above the open upper end of the cylinder which is closed by a substantially frusto-conical corrugated and expansiole and contractible rubber boot or dust cap 92 fastened at its lower end around an external groove in the cylinder 62 as indicated at 93 and receiving the piston rod 9| through its upper end and a flanged or concave-convex metallic disc or plate 94 mounted in the upper end thereof.

The upper end of the piston rod is provided with an eye or grommet 95 which, together with the eye 19, is connected to pivots 96 in brackets provided at the frame members 57 and 12 and in the spring bars 58 and springs '13, respectively, so as to exert a lifting pressure therebetween to raise the side of the car in the direction of the turn to stabilize and prevent sway or tilting thereof when rounding turns as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The pipes I8 and 2|! connected to the pressure regulator I9 at the intake 91 and the outlet 2|, may be effected through the medium of nipples or couplings 98 and the regulator comprises a casing 99 with a plug I69 threaded in one end and the opposite end provided with a reduced threaded neck IflI extending through an opening I02 in the dash or instrument panel I03 of the automobile in connection with a dial plate I04 having an annular dial I05 held in position by a clamping nut I96. A plunger I0! is disposed in the cylindrical bore of .the casing 99 and is in the form of a flanged cup in which is seated one end of a spring I98, the opposite end of which bears against a washer I09 engaged by an adjustment screw IIU threaded through the adjacent end of the casing 99 and the neck IIJI, the nut I05 also constituting a packing gland and the dial plate I04 being anchored to the casing as by a pin III extending through the dash I03 and into the outer end wall of the casing 99.

A handle H2 is secured to the outer end of the adjustment screw III) and has a pointer II3 cooperating with the dial I05 to set the plunger III! at any desired position by rotation of the handle II2 to determine the quantity and pressure of fluid passing through the regulator valve 19 at the inlet I through pipe I8 and through the outlet 2| and pipe '20 back to the reservoir l5 for supplying the proper fluid pressure to the stabilizer cylinders 62 at either side of the car, by regulating the lay-passing of the fluid through the regulator valve I9 depending upon the position of the plunger I01 determined by the setting of the handle H2 and the pointer I I3 with reference to the dial I05 which as shown is calibrated in regular divisions from one to twelve or otherwise.

In the operation of the device, fluid is supplied to the reservoir I B and with the motor H! in operation, proper pressure is maintained by the pump I4 to circulate the fluid to the regulator valve I9 and through the same back to the reservoir. The fluid also flows through the pipe 38 and its branches 39 to the selector valve 25 as the respective casings or cylinders 4| thereof for distribution through the pipes; 6| to the proper sideof the automobile. determinediby the. diIlQQ-s tion of; turning, in. steering the.\ car andsthe operation of=the. steering gear .21. This: deter;

ment bythe adjustment screw'sfv! and springs-52.-

In the position shown in.Eigurel lof the drawings, the plunger 45 is shown moved forwardly to align the passage 63 with the pipes 39 and El through the Y-fitting 59 at the inlet 40 and outlet 58, to cause the flow of the fluid under pressure to the cylinders 62 at the left hand side of the car when a turn is made in the opposite direction. However, when a turn is made to the right, the plunger will be shifted in the opposite direction by the movement of the arm 48 and roller 49 in the slot 41, to connect the corresponding passage 63 with said pipes at the rear casing 4|, to cause the flow of fluid through the pipes 6| to the right hand side of the car when a turn is made to the left.

The fluid pressure supplied to the stabilizer cylinders 62 will enter the bottom thereof through the passages 80 to raise the primary pistons 81 which are followed by the cups 86 and retained thereagainst by the springs 85. This compresses the springs 88 against the secondary pistons 89 to raise the latter and the piston rods 9| to eX- pand the rubber boots or dust caps 92 and exert a lifting pressure against the frame and body of the car from the axles whereby side sway is elimi* nated and the car body maintained in a stabilized position to prevent tilting and possible turning over, turtle or somersaulting. In order to eliminate side sway of the car when making a turn at high speed, the action of the stabilizer parts in relation to each other is as follows. First, in order to put the stabilizer in operation, the regulator control handle H2 regulating the pressure to the stabilizer cylinders is turned to the proper setting on the dial depending upon the load and the speed of travel of the car. The faster the speed and the heavier the load on the car, the higher will be the setting of the pressure regulator and this will be determined b the number of passengers or load carried. The pump l4 develops the necessary pressure to operate the stabilizer, the pipe l8 leading from the pump to the regulator valve [9 and the pipe IE to the reservoir Hi from which the fluid is drawn by the pump. The pipe 38 leads to the regulator valve 25 through the branches 39 of the respective cylinders or casings M for supplying fluid to the right or left hand sides of the car, depending upon the position of the plunger 45.

Thus, the position of the plunger 45 is determined by the operation of the steering wheel of the car and the direction of turn in one direction or the other, that is, to the right or left so as to turn the shaft 29 and simultaneously actuate or reciprocate the plunger 45 so as to change the position of the selector valve 25 and the pistons 46 thereof. If the turn is made to the right, the selector valve opens to cause the flow of the fluid to the left side of the car which raises the left side, therefore resisting the force of gravity and thrust of the body and load of the car with the frame on the axles and springs thereof tending to cause side sway or tilting, thereby maintaining the stabilized position and equilibrium of the car to eliminate side sway.

The upper end of each cylinder 62 is preferably closed by a cap or plug H4 threaded or otherwise secured therein and forming a head :havin azcentra-l small aperture l lll} the pistes: 89

operates". Elugllitthas a breather hole ll! over which an apertured check valve H8 having a operates to-permit the fluid l ef xpell dii m hin marinara- 2 above the secondary r Pressure ndfiqnerm t h... 1 .d-o.r-air.to enter the cylinder when the pressure is relieved and moves down.

I claima f 1. A stabilizer and sway eliminator for automobiles having a chassis, front and rear axles, and a steering gear including a rockable shaft having a pitman fixed thereon; said stabilizer and sway eliminator comprising hydraulic lift devices disposed between the chassis and each end of said front and rear axles, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said lift devices independently at opposite sides of the automobile and operable upon steering the automobile in making a turn, said means including a source of fluid under pressure, a pair of axially aligned cylindrical valve bodies, conduit means connecting said source to said bodies and each of said bodies to said lift devices on opposite sides of said automobile, a valve piston slidable in each of said bodies, a common plunger actuator having the opposite ends thereof fixed to said pistons, a centrally disposed slot extending through said plunger, an arm having one end loosely mounted on the steering gear shaft, the opposite end of said shaft extending into said slot, and adjustable spring means carried by said pitman and engagmg sald arm on the opposite sides thereof for preventing rotation of said arm relative to the shaft whereby rocking of the shaft will result in sliding of said valve pistons for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid to said lift devices.

2. In an automobile and stabilizing and sway eliminating system therefor having a chassis, hydraulic lift devices interposed between said chassis and the opposite ends of the front and rear axles thereof, and a steering gear including and a pitman arm secured of said inlet ports, return fluid conduit means connecting said fluid return ports to said source, 11ft device conduit means connecting the lift devices on one side of the automobile to the outlet port of one of said bodies and the lift devices on the other side of the automobile to the outlet port of the other of said bodies, a common actuator plunger for said pistons, a transverse slot extendmg through said plunger, an actuating arm having one end loosely mounted on said rockable shaft and the other end slidably received within said slot, and resilient means adjustably carried by said pitman arm adapted to engage said actuating arm on the opposite sides thereof for subhole: 1.15am whichsaebushingilzlfii s secured and through whichthe pistontrod flzi:

piston 89; when raised; by;

7 stantially preventing rotation of said actuating Number arm relative to said shaft. 2,247,749 JOHN K. TANK. 2,260,102 2,353,503 REFERENCES CITED 2,387,249 The following references are of record in the file of this patent: N

umber UNITED STATES PATENTS 521,741 Number Name Date 10 2,073,180 Rink Mar. 9, 1937 Name Date De Venel July 1, 1941 Freret Oct. 21, 1941' Rest et a1 July 11, 1944 Eddington Oct. 23, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May .30, 1940 

